The United Way reached that conclusion during a meeting last week, CEO Sherrie Davis said.

Davis pointed out that United Way supporters who disagree with the Scouts' policy can direct their contributions to other organizations.

"It's the donor's choice in what they would like to do," she said.

Meanwhile, two other United Way organizations remain uncertain of the impact of the July 17 announcement in which the Boy Scouts of America said it will continue to deny membership to "open or avowed homosexuals."

In an interview Wednesday, Robert Woods, executive director of the United Way of York County, said there's a possible conflict between that policy and his organization's policy of not partnering with organizations that discriminate based on sexual orientation.

Woods said he expects the board of directors to discuss the matter at its next meeting, which will take place next month.

Woods cited a possible "gray area," and said it will be up to the board to decide if there's a conflict that renders the Scouts ineligible for funding.

He said it's a decision the board will weigh heavily, and a fast decision is unlikely given that a withdrawal of funding would impact thousands of Scouts.

"The Boy Scouts have been part of our organization since its beginning, since 1921," he said. "If there is to be any change in our relationship, that needs to be analyzed and studied."

The United Way of York County channeled about $166,000 last year to the New Birth of Freedom Council, which oversees Boy Scouts in the Harrisburg region.

Woods also noted that United Way supporters who disagree with the Boy Scouts' policy can indicate that they don't want their donations to support the organization.

New Birth of Freedom, based in Mechanicsburg, oversees about 11,400 Scouts in Dauphin, Cumberland, Perry, York and Franklin counties, and has an annual budget of about $3 million.

Capital Region plans meeting

The United Way of the Capital Region reacted first to the Boy Scouts of America's announcement, which amounted to a reaffirmation of a long-standing national policy.

A committee of professionals and volunteers had considered the Scouts' policy toward gays for nearly two years. The committee had considered a resolution that would have allowed local Scouting groups to set their own policy.

Within days of the announcement, the United Way of the Capital Region issued a statement saying the Boy Scouts' policy seems to conflict with the local United Way's anti-discrimination policy.

United Way funding policies are set by committees of local volunteers, who have much latitude to base policies on local preferences.

A committee of the United Way of the Capital Region met Monday with New Birth officials to discuss the decision.

No decision was made, and the full United Way board plans to meet Aug. 24 to discuss the matter. A decision is expected to be announced around the end of the month, CEO Joe Capita said.

In an interview in July, Ron Gardner, the CEO of New Birth, said the organization is bound by the national policy.

He said local policy is "we don't proactively inquire" about the sexual orientation of Scouts or leaders. He said the organization promotes respect and courtesy toward those with different views regarding sexual orientation.

But if a Scout or adult leader were to admit to being homosexual, he would be in violation of the policy, he said.

"If it's brought to our attention, we have to follow the policy," he said in July.

New Birth gets about $85,000 from the United Way of the Capital Region, and the loss would have a substantial impact, said Gardner, who expressed hope that the two organizations can find a way to continue its partnership.

No change in Lebanon County

Mark Hoffman, executive director of the United Way of Lebanon County, said Wednesday that the organization continues to "monitor" reactions the Boy Scouts' policy toward gays, but plans no immediate changes. He said Boy Scouts have received their allocation for the coming year.

"There have been concerns expressed on both sides of the issue, and at this time we are continuing to fund the Boy Scouts," Hoffman said. "We're not looking at any changes in policy at this point in time."

The United Way of Lebanon County has a policy against partnering with organizations that discriminate. But "we feel our policy is broad enough" to accommodate the Boy Scouts' policy, Hoffman said.

"We don't micromanage their policies to that degree," he said. "We do continue to monitor the situation, and there are opinions on both sides of the fence.

"But we feel in this community that the Scouts provide a lot of valuable services, leadership, developing community leadership, that type of thing, and still feel they are a valuable organization as a member of our United Way."

The United Way of Lebanon County this year contributed $67,500 to the Pennsylvania Dutch Council, Boy Scouts of America, which oversees Scouts in Lebanon and Lancaster counties.

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